Liberia: An Exodus

I equate the current state of Liberia to be not unlike Isreal waking out from Egypt and moving towards the promised land. The tradition of the exodus has many applications in both our political and spiritual lives just like it did for Isreal all those years ago. Since its inception Liberia has been throwing off the yolk of its oppressors, leaving slavery in America to come and create a "free land". Unfortunately the "Love of Liberty" found some people here and it didn't take long for the Americo-Liberians to put natives under a similar yolk to the one they had just left. For over 100 years this stood and a society of inequality was built, the pitting of tribes against each other and a culture of corruption and power seeking was cultivated. A gap was growing, the rich got richer on the backs of the poor. It is, therefore, no surprise to me that in 1980 Samuel Doe, one of these oppressed would overthrow the power structure. Now, when Doe took over he had a choice. He could have leveled the playing field and made all Liberians truly equal. But he had been watching the rich for all to long and he took on their ways. Then Taylor came and took power, and he could have leveled the playing field and made all Liberians truly equal. But he too had learned the lessons of the past and the power went to his head. If fourteen years of war has done one thing, it has gotten us to where we are today. Out of Egypt. Out from under oppressive regimes. Across the red sea into freedom. Now we haven't reached the promised land yet. There is still a long way to go. Moses and the isrealites spent forty years in the wildernes. A whole generation passed before they would reach the promised land. So this generation needs to lay the foundation for a fair society. This generation needs to look long and hard at God's commandments to the Isrealites. When Isreal was in the wilderness Egyptian society was all they had known but God gave them instructions on how to create a different kind of society. If Liberians truly took the ten commandments to heart, they could be a shining example to not just west Africa but mankind as a whole. Stay away from the false gods of greed, corruption, and violence. Stay focused on the prize. God is calling you Liberia, will you reach the promised land?